Kinjirareta Ai
by TheHunterPersian
Summary: Espio meets Vector, a samurai who becomes a new guard to the dojo of the Shinobi clan. Finding a friend in him, the chameleon's feelings towards Vector changes over time, but when the time of Espio's arranged marriage draws near, he must choose between a life he doesn't want, or run away and risk his life with the one he's fallen for. Feudal Japan!Vecpio AU, twoshot.
1. Chapter 1

**(AN: Why hello everyone! If you do remember at the end of Transfer, I mentioned I had two Vecpio stories in mind. This just happens to be one of them! This was an AU I thought of some time ago, and ultimately now, am writing it.**

 **I guess similar to how Espio was in Transfer, I of course, based it around the Fedual Japan time-era. Because of this, there may be one or two things that you, the reader, may have to search up. Not to mention, to get yourself immersed into the experience of this fic, try to imagine all of the characters speaking Japanese, cause well, this takes place in an area that speaks Japanese :P**

 **I've been working on this for the past few days, and I'm glad to be releasing it. I hope you all enjoy, Kinji Rareta Ai. And be sure to check back in a few days for the second and final chapter!**

 **And for the final notice: cover art by Skull001 on tumblr. Be sure to check out their stuff! He's a real great artist)**

* * *

 _*plonk*_

The sound of bamboo hitting a rock and splashing water into a small pond was audible as the slight gust of wind breezed through the trees and the grass. Many dummies stood in a circle in the middle of the terrace, slightly moving in the wind.

A small fuchsia chameleon, wearing a blue kimono, a black hakama, and a toolbelt with weapons such as kunai's, shuriken's, and a katana, walked in the middle of the circle of dummies. He bowed in place as he got into the position and closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the bamboo collecting water for it lower and let the water slide down.

 _*plonk*_

The chameleon opened his eyes quickly as he immediately grabbed a kunai from his toolbelt and came after the dummy in front of him, slashing its head off. He went after the next one, throwing the kunai in his hand through the dummy's face. Taking out three shuriken's, the fuchsia reptile shot all three into the chest of the next dummy.

Finally, for the finisher; the chameleon grabbed the handle of the katana, which made a *shwang* sound as it was pulled out from the scabbard that held it. He sliced the torso of the next dummy straight off, stabbed the next one through the stomach, and finally; looking at the last dummy standing, the chameleon yelled as he raised the katana high into the air and swung down, slicing the dummy in half.

The reptile held his position as he breathed in and out. Suddenly, he heard a clapping sound coming from behind him.

"Good job, Espio. Your training has sufficed you."

The chameleon, identified as Espio, placed the katana back into the scabbard on his tool belt and walked to the chameleon woman by the doorway. He bowed in front of her.

"Thank you, mother."

"That shall be it for your training today. Good work. However, please follow me to my quarters."

Espio nodded as the two reptiles entered back inside the dojo where they lived.

You see, Espio lived in the dojo of the Shinobi clan, one of the four most powerful clans of the Dragon Kingdom. His mother, Bride of the Constant Vigil, leads the Shinobi clan, and has her heart set on the belief that the four other clans of the Dragon Kingdom will one day unite. However, this meant that the members of the clans had to marry each other, and Espio knew what this talk with his mother would be about.

Entering the quarters of Bride of the Constant Vigil, she sat in front of a small table.

"Sit." she said. Espio sat on his legs.

"Now, Espio, you do know about the plans involving the Shinobi clan and the Raiju clan, correct?"

 _"Of course…"_ The chameleon thought. It was what he was expecting; his mother was referring to the arranged marriage between him and the apprentice of Bride of the Conquering Storm, the Raiju's leader, Nicole, which was done by both Brides for the intent of bringing the two clan houses together.

"Well, since me and Bride of the Conquering Storm have begun our preparations for the wedding, we shall head out into the village today to find a wedding kimono for you. I believe Mijirou the tailor has very high quality ones…"

As the Bride went on about the wedding, one of the chameleon guards opened the screen door to Constant Vigil's quarters.

"Constant Vigil!" he called out. The Bride cleared her throat, and stared at the guard.

"Why have you have come here?" she stated.

"Uhh, I apologize for bursting in, however, the samurai you have requested to become the new guard has arrived!"

Bride of the Constant Vigil's eyes widened as she got up. "Oh! I had almost forgotten about him! We will finish this conversation later, Espio. Right now, I should introduce you."

Espio followed his mother into the main room of the dojo. She opened the doors of the dojo's main entrance, which revealed a large, shadowy figure. The figure stepped in and Espio was surprised to see who this strange person was.

Standing inside the dojo was a large green muscular crocodile, dressed entirely in samurai armor from head to toe. _"This is a samurai… what is he doing here in a dojo of ninja's?"_ Espio thought.

"Espio, son, I would like you to meet, Vector. He is a samurai that I have appointed to be one of the new guards for our dojo." explained Constant Vigil. Espio walked up to Vector the samurai and bowed in front of him.

"It is an honor to meet you, Vector." said Espio.

"Likewise here, it will be an honor serving you and the Shinobi clan." replied Vector, bowing as well.

"If it is appropriate, I believe that we shall be heading out for my son's wedding gown. Come, Espio, we can't let time go to waste."

Espio sighed as he followed his mother out of the dojo, leaving Vector by himself.

* * *

"Hmm… yes! I do approve of this! Right size… and orange is quite a fiery color for you… Okay, that should be all. You can put on your normal wear again."

Espio took off the large and heavy orange kimono off from him as he put on what he was wearing previously. The chameleon had gotten done changing into his wear for his arranged marriage with Nicole, and Bride of the Constant Vigil couldn't be any happier to see her son "become a man".

Exiting the room, Espio jumped back in slight shock when he saw Vector near him.

"Oh! Vector! You startled me!" he said.

"No worries, no worries." Vector replied. "I was simply curious as to what's going on, that's all."

"Oh… well… I could tell you, but I think mother would disapprove of what I would say. Shall we move this conversation to the dining area?"

"I suppose we should."

* * *

Pouring green tea into two small cups, Espio passed one to Vector and grabbed one for himself, sipping the hot liquid.

"So, what's the issue? What's with the giant kimono and your mother's talk of a wedding?" The crocodilian samurai asked.

Espio sighed, and collected his thoughts. "My mother has planned an arranged marriage between me and a girl from the Raiju clan; Nicole. Her plan is that with our "marriage", this will unite the two clan houses, Shinobi and Raiju. I know she means well, but… that's not what marriage is… Marriage to me is about finding someone you love, one you can trust. Not arranging someone to marry someone you don't wish to marry or harbor feelings towards at all. It just… isn't right…"

Vector tapped his lip and nodded, sipping more green tea. "You are quite philosophical, Espio. I agree with your statements. Tragically, it seems that there are still some negative customs practiced today."

The ninja looked up at the samurai. "Wait, Vector… aren't you married?"

The large green reptile shook his head. "No, I am not."

"Huh? You seem rather… old. I apologize if that offends but it comes as a shock seeing as how men are supposed to be married when they turn 18, or by the time they're age 21."

"I am not offended, but the reason is for the same reason why you are upset about your arranged marriage."

Vector looked at his hand. "I haven't met anyone who I felt like I could marry. My guardians have condemned me for it, seeing as how I haven't married yet and I'm 22. However, I take more pride in being a samurai and protecting the people then I do romance. But… sometimes I do wonder if there is someone out there for me."

Espio smiled, stood up, sat next to Vector, and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry, Vector. I'm sure you will find someone."

"Thank you, Espio."

Vector gave the fuchsia reptile a small smile, who in response, could feel his face burning up slightly. Espio turned away after a bit and gathered his thoughts.

 _"Why did I do that in front of Vector?"_ he thought, grasping his arm. _"I don't know why… but… he's much different than anyone I've ever met. I think I would like to get to know him a bit more…"_

* * *

 **A FEW DAYS LATER**

"Espio, would you like to come with me to the village?" Vector asked as he entered the chameleon's room, who had finished his daily meditation.

"Hm? The village? What for?" he replied.

"Your mother has sent me on a task to receive a letter from the priest who will be servicing at your wedding. I was simply wondering if you would like to accompany me."

Espio debated in his mind. He didn't want to do anything with the wedding at all… yet… he had the opportunity to be with Vector, and perhaps get to know him more. In the end, Espio went with the latter.

The two reptiles exited the Shinobi clan's dojo and walked through the village of Gojo. They passed by many of the villagers doing physical labor, children playing in the streets, and merchants all throughout the area.

Vector and Espio finally stopped at the Gojaku Temple, where head priest Yatsu gave the letter for Bride of the Constant Vigil.

"I await your wedding, Espio. There is only two months left until the day." Priest Yatsu said. He bowed and bid the two farewell.

As ninja and samurai walked back to the dojo, they stopped when they heard a man dramatically calling.

"Help! Help!" he called out. The two turned around to see a wolf running up to them, stopping merely inches away as he placed his hands on his legs, gasping for air.

"Please, if you two don't mind, I request your assistance! I know that you," The wolf said, pointing at Espio. "are the son of Bride of the Constant Vigil, meaning you must be a well-trained ninja. And you," The wolf then pointed at Vector. "seem to be a samurai, so I know I can put my request on your shoulders."

"Please calm down, what is the issue?" Vector asked.

"Someone, a man, has kidnapped my daughter! I have been trying to locate her, but I cannot find her! I fear the worst… and it's taking all I've got to not break down… Please… will you, ninja and samurai, help me?"

Vector and Espio looked at each other and nodded. "We can't let someone like this get away with what he wishes to commit." The crocodilian samurai said.

"Agreed." replied Espio. "Sir, we shall help you locate your missing daughter."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! I shall let you know now that you two will be greatly rewarded for this, and I do appreciate everything!" The wolf then proceeded to dig into his pocket and pull out a picture. The picture contained the man, along with a woman who was presumed to be his wife, and a small girl, no doubt his missing daughter.

"She looks like that. I do not wish to rush you both, but please do find her!"

"I understand, we shall do whatever it takes to find your daughter." replied Espio. The two reptiles made their way through the crowd of people as they looked at the reference picture for the young girl.

"There are plenty of people around the village… the person who abducted the girl could be anywhere…" Vector mumbled to himself. The two looked around the village, and didn't take long to find their culprit. Towards the entrance of the village, a large, burly goat held a wolf girl in a headlock, covering her mouth. Many of the villagers looked at him strangely, almost as if he didn't belong there.

"Missy, you've been quite the trouble since I've nabbed you." The goat said. "Don't worry though, where I'm taking you, you'll enjoy where you'll like it."

The wolf girl tried to scream, but was muffled by the goat's hand.

"You there!" Vector yelled. The goat stopped and turned around to face Vector and Espio.

"Huh? What do you kids want?

"What do you think you're doing with her?!" yelled Espio.

"Oh, her? This is simply my adopted daughter! She is simply not cooperating and I'm going to discipline her. Don't worry, nothing bad is happening! I promise you." The goat said. It was obvious in the way he was speaking that he was lying.

"Liar! We know you abducted that girl from a man who is her true father!" Vector growled. "After all, how do you explain this?!"

Vector showed the goat the picture the wolf man had gave him. He lowered his eyes and began to chuckle.

"So, you two caught me red-handed. Yeah, this little runt ain't mine. But she seems like good meat for the service I'm in. I think people will pay good for her, don't you think?"

"Pay good for her?! Sir, you aren't possibly implying-"

He nodded. Espio's face burned with rage.

"That's disgusting and revolting! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

By now, a crowd formed between the two reptiles and the goat.

"Anyway, I should be heading out now. Perhaps if you two don't bother me, I'll come back with a bit of yen for your troubles. Is that fine?"

The goat grabbed the girl and immediately, Vector grabbed his katana and ran after the man. However, the goat turned around in an instant, and punched Vector in the mouth, sending him back.

"You fool! So you dare try to not heed my word, yet you see who I am? You and the son of Bride of the Constant Vigil are quite bold indeed."

"The girl is coming with us." Espio replied. A twinkle shined in the goat's eye as he reached into his kimono and brought out two sickle like weapons, identified as kama's.

"I see! Well then, you two shall see for yourselves what happens to those who face me!"

The goat came rushing towards Vector and Espio, holding his two kama's tightly. Bringing out one of his kunai's, Espio shot it towards the goat's direction, but he was able to dodge it quickly.

"Damn it!" The chameleon muttered. The goat came after Vector first, swinging over and over again. Fortunately, since Vector was skilled in using his katana, he was able to block each swing. The crocodile attempted to make a few slashes, but the goat was simply too fast for him.

"Argh! Stand still!" he muttered aloud.

"Ahaha! See what I mean? I am far too fast for the both of you! And now, I'll make sure to kill you both-"

Just as the goat was about to enter his monologue, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. The goat became squeamish as he saw what happened; a shuriken was lodged into his arm, which began to bleed heavily. The goat, trembling, took the shuriken out of his arm and yelped, crashing to the ground. Vector snorted and held his katana up to his neck. Espio loomed over him, staring him down with a look that could kill.

"Listen to me, and listen to me good; do **NOT** come back to this village again. If I even see even the clothes on your miserable face, I **WILL NOT** be afraid to kill you. Do you understand me?!" Espio yelled at the goat. "DO YOU?!"

The goat whimpered before he got up from the floor quickly and ran off. The two put away their weapons and walked towards the wolf girl.

"Hey… your father asked us to help him find you, little girl. Don't worry; you're safe now. Just come with us and we'll make sure to bring you to your father." Vector said. He held out his hand as the little girl took it. The two reptiles walked back to the man as the crowd died down, and returned to what they were doing.

* * *

"Rao!"

"Papa!"

The two wolves reunited tearfully. Vector and Espio stood nearby, proud that they were able to bring two family members back to normal.

"Thank you two so much." The wolf's father said. "It means so much that you rescued my daughter. Please; I have a high paying job in the Aristocratic Quarters of Hiraizumi, so I think you two definitely deserve this. Would you both be kind to hold out your hands?"

The two reptiles nodded, and Vector and Espio did just that. They saw the man dig into his kimono and bring out a large amount of yen. He gave the two reptiles 5000 yen each.

"Sir…. this is far too kind… we can't accept this!" Espio said.

"No no, I do insist, keep it."

"I have to agree with my partner, this is far too generous." Vector replied.

"You two well deserved this reward. I do insist that you keep the money you have righteously earned."

The two reptiles sighed; they could see that no matter how much convincing they could do; the man was surely not going to change his mind.

"Okay, fine. We accept the money gracefully, kind sir. Thank you so much." The chameleon said as he and Vector bowed. The man nodded, and he soon walked off with his daughter.

Vector and Espio walked off in the other direction, counting all the money they had again. _"5000 yen… mother will surely be pleased with me."_ He thought.

"Espio, since we have all this money, and since we both beat that man together, would you like me to treat you?"

"Treat me? That depends, where do you wish to treat me?"

Vector grinned his same grin as before as he showed what their "treat" would be; sake from a sake house.

After entering inside, and taking their seats, Vector and Espio sat next to each other, sake in hand.

"For a job well done today." Espio started.

"And for our cooperation, and showing that we can work together… cheers!"

"Cheers."

The two then clinked glasses.

* * *

 **A MONTH LATER**

Vector and Espio trained together inside the large training room of the dojo. Weapons clashed against each other as ninja and samurai trained.

"You've been getting better, Espio." said Vector, still holding tightly onto his katana.

"Mother's been telling me that a lot. I think I agree." replied the chameleon before going after Vector yet again. The crocodile's katana and Espio's kunai slashed against each other.

"That's enough for weapons." Espio said, throwing his kunai to the ground. He then got into a stance. "Hand to hand; it's the basis of all combat."

"Are you sure? I will warn you; I am not the best with fighting without weapons."

"Then I shall train you. Simply block, that is all."

Vector threw his katana and his samurai helmet to the side as Espio immediately began his fury of punches. The crocodile was able to block each one with his arm. He ducked and jumped several times when Espio tried to kick the crocodile. This went on for some time, with Vector only taking two hits so far did something happen.

As the large green reptile managed to avoid the punches, he tried to block one far too quickly, and strained his arm rather hard. Vector hissed as he grabbed his arm.

"Vector?! What is the issue?!" Espio exclaimed.

"N-No… it's fine… Don't worry, I'm okay." replied Vector.

"No no, you're not "okay". You're hurt and I need to help you, and I know just the thing; here, let me take off your armor."

Espio went behind Vector and began to take off all extensions that connected the armor together. The metal armor came off of him, revealing Vector's green kimono. Suddenly, Espio covered his mouth.

"Err… Vector? I'm going to have to take off your kimono for this… Is that awkward for you?"

"Not at all."

Espio was surprised at first to hear was the response was "not at all", rather than something he had expected, like "what?" or "what do you mean?" or even "can't I do it myself?"

Feeling a slight blush on his face, Espio took the string off connecting the kimono as it came apart; now revealing Vector's muscular body. The fuchsia reptile froze as he tried his best not to look at the samurai's body.

"W-Which arm does it hurt?"

"Sss… right one…"

Espio grabbed a hold of the large green reptile's right arm, feeling the muscle, the hardness, and how scaly it was. He could no longer force himself to stop looking as he began to massage it.

"A-Ahh…" The crocodile moaned. The chameleon took all he had not to faint right there.

 _"Why am I acting like this?"_ he asked himself mentally. Never before has he ever felt like this…

Yet… something about it seemed so right.

As he moved onto the bicep, Espio could feel how muscular it was, and without thinking, blurted his thoughts out loud.

"Your arms… they're quite big… very strong too…" he commented. Upon finishing what he said, he slapped himself mentally.

 _"Did I just really say that out loud?"_

"Oh… yes, I work out quite often. It's normal for a samurai to go through long and hard work out's to be prepared physically for any combat." Vector replied. Hoping to say something as to not make the situation awkward, Espio said the first thing that came to mind.

"With a body like yours, Vector, I think it will get you many females in your direction."

Espio rolled his eyes and sighed mentally. _"It's a start."_

"It has before, though I'm not interested." Vector said.

"Passing up sexual encounters, I see?" Espio teasingly replied.

"Not really. Not to say I've never had sexual encounters, but much like my thoughts on marriage, I'm still waiting for that special someone."

Espio grunted in reply. Vector ignored what was said, which hopefully meant it went over his head.

"Alright, I think it's done. I'm good now."

Taking his hands off from Vector's arm, the crocodile flexed a few times to make sure he was fine.

"Thank you, Espio. I feel much better now because of you."

Espio smiled, but quickly turned his head to the door.

"Err, please excuse me, Vector. I will be back in a minute or two."

"I understand."

The chameleon walked out of the room, and shut the sliding door behind him.

* * *

Sitting in the courtyard, Espio stared at his reflection in the pond. The various koi fish swam around the water without a care in the world. _"So innocent you koi fish, yet so naïve."_ Espio thought.

"At least you all don't have conflicting feelings." Espio muttered.

It had only been a month since Vector became a guard for the Shinobi clan, yet in that month, Espio can say that he's been closer to the samurai than any other person he's known in his life, even closer than his own parents.

Yet… what happened back there was more different than anything he's done with Vector in that month.

The strangest part of it all is… he liked it.

The chameleon didn't understand his confusing feelings. He shook his head, and reached into his pocket, pulling out a photo.

"Oh, father… if you were still alive, what advice would you have to offer me?"

Espio stared at the image of his younger self and his father, who died about three years ago. He placed the photo back in his pocket and stared back at the pond, his mind having yet another internal debate.

…

No…

It couldn't be…

 _"That's just silly."_ Espio thought to himself.

But…

It did make sense in hindsight.

It explained why he never got it immediately when a female would hit on him.

It explained why he never felt any sort of romantic attraction towards females.

It explained why he didn't want to get married outside of the having it arranged by his mother; not harboring feelings towards Nicole in anyway.

 _"No, no! Stop thinking about that! That's not it! You're simply confused, Espio!"_

Despite his internal debates, he knew that part of it could be true. Before he would feel like going insane from his thoughts attacking him, Espio left the courtyard quickly.

* * *

 **ANOTHER MONTH LATER – THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING**

A tapping on Espio's door awoke the chameleon up from his sleep.

"Espio? When do you plan to get up?!" His mother scolded. "Today is the day of the wedding rehearsal, and we can't be late! Get up and don't be lazy, you knew today was the day!"

"Rrr… mother, I'm going… I'm going…" replied Espio, rubbing his eyes and getting up from his futon.

"If you need me, I shall be heading off to the Ankoku temple in Hirunotsuka. Bride of the Conquering Storm has informed me that she is currently expecting me. As such; Vector will make you breakfast. But please do hurry."

Bride of the Constant Vigil's fleeting footsteps were heard from the chameleon's room. Walking out of his room, he made his way to the dojo's small sentō for a bath.

Emerging from it almost an hour later, Espio wiped his scales clean with a towel before getting dressed with the clothes his mother told him to wear that day. Coming out from his room, he heard the sound of sizzling coming from the kitchen. A powerful yet good smell emanated in the air as Espio followed the scent. However, when he reached the dining area, he stopped and blushed at the sight.

Vector stood by the pots and pans on the kamado, cutting up vegetables with a knife. However, it was his appearance that made Espio stop. The crocodile bore no shirt, which revealed his sweating, muscular body, and only wore a pair of white pants. If anything else couldn't confirm Espio's secret towards the samurai; this would have to be it.

After a few minutes of cutting up vegetables, he looked up and finally noticed Espio in the room.

"O-Oh! Espio! You startled me." he said. "Heh heh, I didn't see you there. Anyway, good morning."

"A good morning to you too." replied Espio, sitting by the table. Vector threw the vegetables he was cooking into one of the pans.

"So, today is the rehearsal for your big day, is it not?"

"Unfortunately…"

Espio sighed, and rested his head on his arms.

"By the by, Vector… I didn't know you could cook."

Vector looked up. "Oh, me? Heh heh… thank you. I'm only really cooking like this because your mother taught me earlier this morning. Truth be told, I cannot cook for my life…"

Espio chuckled to himself as after a few more minutes of waiting, the crocodilian samurai walked over with a tray full of food.

" _Itadakimasu._ " The two reptiles said as they dug into breakfast.

"Are you not coming, Vector?" asked Espio midway into breakfast.

"No, Bride of the Constant Vigil has instructed me to keep guard for the dojo, as all of the ninja spies shall be going to the rehersal."

"Really? That's a shame… I was hoping that we could have had a good time, you and me."

"Perhaps during your wedding, we'll share a dance or two."

Vector winked as Espio jumped a bit in surprise.

 _"This man… he couldn't be anymore… no, I won't say it. I already know what I'll say."_ he thought.

After finishing breakfast, Espio grabbed his stuff, and left the dojo, leaving Vector behind.

* * *

It had been two hours since Espio's departure, and Vector had been patrolling the outside of the dojo like he had been. What he was doing right now was simply so… monotonous.

Yet, in that same time, it had given Vector some time to think about his situation with Espio.

And his attraction to him.

 _"Why, oh why, of all people, did you fall for the Bride's son, Vector?"_ The crocodile thought. _"If she knew about this… heavens know what she would do."_

It's not like Vector knew Espio was his. Even if he didn't want to marry Nicole, he knew the chameleon only liked girls.

…

Or did he?

Whatever the case, Vector shook his head, and continued patrolling.

Yet, the wedding still came to his mind.

Espio and Nicole's wedding… Nicole and Espio's wedding…

The more Vector thought about it, the more he realized; he did not want this wedding to happen. Not just due to his attraction to him, but knowing that Espio could have a much better and happier life with someone he genuinely feels for.

Even if the two only knew each other for two months, it felt like the two reptiles were the bestest of friends. They were closer to each other than anyone else they knew.

And even if he had only been gone for two hours; Vector missed Espio's presence.

"I have to do something about this… but what?"

* * *

It wasn't until late at night when Bride of the Constant Vigil and Espio returned back home. Vector had gotten done lighting sticks of incense around the house, and looked to their direction.

"Oh, you two. How was your time?" he asked.

"It was good, good. I think Espio's ready for his wedding tomorrow." replied Constant Vigil

As the large green reptile turned to see his crush, he was surprised to see no sort of excitement or happiness on Espio's face. As a matter of fact, he looked rather… gloomy.

"I'm going to bed…" he moaned.

"That's a good idea. Early to rise, the faster we arrive. Do not worry, Vector, you may continue staying up late if you wish."

Seeing Espio walk sadly to his room, shoulders slouched; Vector grew worried and followed the chameleon into his room.

"Espio?" he replied, knocking on his door.

"Go away…" called out Espio's voice.

"Espio, it's simply me, Vector. Please let me in."

There was about a minute of waiting before the chameleon announced it was okay to come in. Immediately, he saw Espio on his futon, hands up over his face, as if it were covering it up.

"Espio? What is wrong?" he asked.

"Please, shut the door, Vector."

Doing what the bride's son asked him to do, the crocodilian samurai slid the door shut.

"Now, tell me. What is the issue?"

"Vector… I… I can't… I can't do it. I cannot go to that wedding."

"Did something occur over there?"

"No… it's just… I realized that I'm being held against my own will to marry Nicole. I… I have to escape!"

"Escape?! Espio, you do realize what will happen if anyone, especially your mother, will do if they catch you?!"

Espio turned his head sharply towards Vector's direction, shooting him a nasty look.

"Do you think I care?! I don't! May even the gods strike me down; I won't do it, and that's that! I bet you'll even report me too."

Vector grabbed Espio's hand roughly and looked at him. "That's enough! You may be an adult, and you may not want this marriage at all, but this doesn't give you the right to start acting like a brat now!"

The chameleon jumped back in surprised, and looked guilty. "I…I'm sorry, Vector… I didn't mean to lash out on you…"

The crocodile sighed, and placed his hand on Espio's shoulder. "I understand. This situation most likely has you going through a lot of stress."

"It's just… I have no say or do in it…"

"I know it's hard. Come here…"

Vector proceeded to tightly hug Espio. Despite the metallic armor on him, and the large green reptile's strong grip, Espio tightly returned the hug back to the samurai. Seeing as this was his chance however, the ninja looked up.

"Vector? If I may confess something too… there's another reason why I refuse to do this wedding." he said.

"Hm? And what would that be?" asked Vector.

"You see… err… how can I say this?"

Espio twiddled his thumbs and felt his face grow red. "V-Vector… I think I may have finally have finally realized who I have fallen for."

"You have? You have fallen for someone?"

"Yes… it may be a bit shocking as to who it is… but I promise you that it won't be TOO much of a shocker."

"Please, go ahead and tell me. I promise I won't tell a single soul."

Espio's eyes lowered as he walked over to the crocodile and brought him to the ground.

"E-Espio? What are you doing?!"

Then, the chameleon got on top of Vector, staring down straight at him.

"You haven't caught on by now? Someone who's been heavily teasing me for quite some time, someone who I've only known for quite a short amount of time."

Espio reached in closer, taking off Vector's helmet. "Someone who happens to be a big, strong crocodile, who just so happens to be a samurai… can you take a guess as to who that is?"

The blush on Vector's face grew as the ninja slowly reached for the samurai's lips.

However, before anything could happen, Vector grabbed both of Espio's hands quickly, and kissed him roughly. Caught off guard, Vector used this chance to roll over, and allow himself to loom over Espio. The two reptiles continued to stay on the floor, kissing and hoping no one would interrupt their moment of passion.

After a minute, Vector and Espio parted from their kiss, and looked at each other. They quickly got up from the floor as they covered their mouths, blushing intensely from what happened, and thoughts racing through their heads.

"Y-You… you feel the same, Vector?" began Espio.

"Y-Yes… I didn't know why I felt that way about you… You were someone who was getting married, albeit arranged, but… I just thought you would never see me in the way I saw you in. I see you as a mysterious, yet charismatic way… and when I soon realized this… I knew that perhaps… the stars have aligned for us to be the true couple. And yes, I will admit; what I did earlier today was admittedly, done to catch your attention." explained Vector.

"Those are quite a lot of words, Vector." The chameleon joked. "I… I guess I can say the same about me too. I see you in a very charming sort of way, almost flirtatious in a way towards me. I was confused about my feelings, seeing as how I never saw myself as a person to be attracted to the same gender. Yet… as I got to know you more, and I took a look at myself more and more, I soon realized that this wasn't the case. I do believe about what you said about the stars aligning; the gods have seen my request, and granted it to me."

Espio proceeded to rub Vector's face with his thumb. "And have given me the person I was truly meant to spend my time with."

The crocodile smiled as the two hugged again, and shared a small kiss.

"Espio… with us now realizing our feelings… you must not forget about your wedding tomorrow." reminded Vector.

"I know… Vector… I have a request for you. For the both of us. Let us escape together!"

"Us?"

"Yes, and then, we can truly live our lives the way we want it! We no longer have to live in the Dragon Kingdom. We can find new life somewhere new!"

"Espio… I know you mean well, but do realize; you are not only putting your life on the line, but mine's too. If we get caught, well, you know the results…"

"I know… we must plan ahead of our plan… We have less than twenty-four hours left…"

Vector scratched his chin for a bit before coming up with his idea. "This may seem very dangerous, and it most likely is going to be. But hear me out…"


	2. Chapter 2

**(AN: Well, here it is! The second and final chapter of Kinjirareta Ai! Thank you all for waiting for the next chapter! You guys are amazing, and hey, it's time I grace you all with this.**

 **Now, I am going to use this time to correct myself on an issue I said on the AN of last chapter. I said that I had mentioned this story in Transfer's AN for the last chapter. That actually WASN'T the case, this was actually a surprise fic while the other one is actually a fic I think will come out towards the end of this December, or Janurary 2016, so be on the lookout for that ;)**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this longass chapter, and I hope you enjoyed Kinjirareta Ai! See you guys on my next fic! (whatever it is :P)**

* * *

"It is time. Espio, we must hurry."

The chameleon nodded as he grabbed the forest green hood and covered it over his body and his face.

Tonight was the night of the wedding between him and Nicole. Yet, instead of getting ready and traveling to the Gojaku Temple for the wedding with Vector accompanying him like he had said to his mother, the two reptiles were doing the dangerous task they had both decided on; running away.

It was a lie to say that Espio wasn't afraid. In truth, he was more scared then he had ever been before. Just thinking about what would happen if he and Vector were caught, and what they would do to both him and his new lover, terrified him.

"Tell me again; Vector. What is the plan?" Espio asked.

"We are going to leave the dojo and exit the village. Due to tonight being the night of the wedding, the guards would not let us leave unless I explain my business. You will have to keep yourself covered up at ALL costs. You can't let a single guard find you." explained Vector. "After that, we must run and run and run. We cannot hide out in any village near here, as once your mother and the guards realize we are gone, they will hunt for us. And they will do nothing until we are captured."

"Vector… love… are you sure this is what you want?"

The crocodilian samurai stared at Espio, raising an eyebrow. "Are you having regrets of this plan already?"

"N-No! It's just that… if we do get caught… I'm afraid you'll be executed… and I-I'll lose you…"

The thought of Vector being killed almost made Espio cry. It was then that he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Espio. I'll make sure nothing happens to the both of us. And well, if something did happen to the both of us where we are both executed… well… dying besides you won't be too bad."

A small smile formed on Espio's face as he was filled with fortitude.

"I think now should be a good time for us to leave. Hurry, make sure your hood covers you completely, grab your sack, and let us leave here." Vector said. The ninja nodded as he grabbed his knapsack, filled with clothes, his kunai and shuriken's, food, money, and other knick nacks and items of importance. He placed it over his shoulders and grabbed his katana and scabbard, tying it to his waist under his hood.

"I'm ready, let's leave now." Espio said.

As the two reptiles exited the dojo, they could see how hard it had been raining. The floor outside of the dojo formed small puddles that were only gaining in size.

"Since it's dark and raining, I think we have an upper advantage." The samurai said. The two continued to sneakily make their way out of the village, making sure none of the villagers, especially ones involved with the Shinobi clan, saw them.

Just as the two snuck past the various homes of people, Espio saw Nicole, wearing pure white from head to toe, complete with a tsunokakushi on her head, and a wagasa in her hand. Beside her was Bride of the Conquering Storm, wearing a long purple dress, and holding her pupil by her arm. Along with the two lynx's were his mother and various guards, all of them walking to Hirunotsuka and ultimately; the Gojaku Temple together.

It was funny, here Espio was, staring at the woman he was supposed to get married to. Instead of doing that, he was running away with the man he could truly call "love".

"Espio? I know that they may be a sight, but do note there could be people watching. Let's go!" Vector hissed, trying not to say anything that could attract attention to them, especially the attention of Constant Vigil. Espio nodded and followed after his new lover.

Finally, after passing by some of the houses, the two reptiles finally reached the exit of Gojo Village.

"This is where our plan shall come into play. Keep your head low, and try not to say anything." Vector whispered. Espio nodded as he and Vector walked up to the two guards securing the village. Immediately, the two guards stopped Vector and Espio.

"Vector! What are you doing? Leaving the village at a time like this! Do you not realize how important the wedding between Bride of the Constant Vigil's son and the pupil of Bride of the Conquering Storm is?!" The guard on the right, a blue chinchilla, said.

"I apologize for what seems to be a departure." Vector said, bowing. "However, I am merely accompanying this wandering traveler. He had gotten lost and wound up in Gojo Village, where I have found him. I shall take him back to his village, which seems to be quite some time from here. However, I will make sure I do not miss the wedding."

The stern faces on the guards face's admittedly terrified Vector. Despite this, he kept his cool, and gave them a blank look. After some time, the guards raised up their spears.

"I understand. You both may pass."

Vector nodded, and the two reptiles made their way out from the village. They constantly looked back to make sure that the guards weren't looking at them.

When they had seen that Gojo Village's gate was out of sight, the two reptiles ran as fast as they could. Faster than they have ever ran before, even with the weight of Espio's knapsack and Vector's armor.

The heavy rain poured down on the two reptiles, every part of them getting wet. The hood on Espio's head came down due to the wind, and heavy rain splashed down on his face. Their breathing got heavier and heavier as they continued to run, making sure to not look back.

"V-Vector… where's the closest place… *huff huff*… we can hide out for tonight?" Espio asked in between breaths.

"Well… *huff huff*… Arato may be our closest bet, but due to there being high amount of guards there, it may not be the best place. I think Kanamirū however, is where we should go, as it is the most rural village near Gojo."

"I agree, we must continue *huff*… our travel…"

The two reptiles continued to run down the dirt path, with not a single soul in sight.

* * *

 _"What is taking that boy so long?"_ Bride of the Constant Vigil thought. Everyone in the Shinobi and Raiju clan were at the Gojaku Temple, except for her son. Not to mention, Vector was also absent too…

Poor Nicole stood by the altar alone, only Priest Yatsu by her side as he was to be their officiant. Forty-five minutes to almost an hour everyone waited for Espio's arrival, and yet, the groom was nowhere to be found.

"Get me the guards now!" The motherly chameleon said, getting up. "Go back to the Dojo and find out where is Espio! He most likely does not want to do this, so bring him here by force!"

Just then, the two gate guards of Gojo came running into the Gojaku Temple, short of breath as they placed their hand on their legs. The Shinobi leader angrily walked towards the two guards and grabbed them by the scruff of their necks.

"You two! Where is my son?! WHERE IS HE?!" She yelled at the two guards.

"C-Constant Vigil! That's why we're here! None of the guards in Gojo have been able to find him. The Dojo is completely empty!"

A look of confusion and anger formed on the Bride's face. "WHAT?!"

"Y-Yes! That is true! We apologize, Constant Vigil!"

"And Vector, what about Vector? You said the Dojo was completely empty. If that's the case, where is he?!"

"Oh, that!" said the guard on the right. "Just about an hour ago, Vector left the village with a traveler. He said he was taking him back to his village as he got caught up in the rain and wound up in Gojo. Funnily enough, I didn't see what the stranger's face looked like, as it was covered in a hood-"

The guard stopped himself. He, along with everyone else in the room, put two and two together.

The Bride continued to hold her stern face, and took out a tobacco pipe, and began to smoke it.

"It seems we have to call off this wedding for now. Guards… search EVERY village near Gojo. I don't care if you have to wake up villagers from their rest. You WILL find Vector and Espio, and you WILL bring them both back."

"And what shall we do when we seize them?" asked the guard by Bride of the Conquering Storm.

"Vector… he shall be sentenced to death. For not only betraying the Shinobi clan, but for running away with my son. And as for Espio, he WILL be partaking in this marriage. If he still refuses, he, along with Vector, will be executed also."

"Your own son, Constant Vigil?!" blurted out Bride of the Conquering Storm. She couldn't believe what she was hearing; _she was going to kill her own son if he didn't partake in the marriage between him and Nicole._ "I know this is an important ordeal, but… why kill him?"

"For a mother, it's hard to bear having to do that. But when your own child refuses against your will, refuses against his destiny, and his mind is set, he must understand the consequence of his actions."

She turned to every guard standing. "Now, go. All of you."

All of Gojo's guards and the ninja guards of the Shinobi Clan's Dojo nodded as they made their way out of the Gojaku Temple and outside, beginning their hunt for the samurai and the ninja.

* * *

It was late at night as Vector and Espio laid across the futon, the crocodile asleep while the chameleon wide awake. He watched the droplets of rain slide down the roof of the shack they were staying in as the cold got to him. Espio shivered as he felt Vector hold him tighter.

The place they were staying at was the shack of an old fisherman named Karude. The shack lay in the most rural part of Kanamirū, and not a soul in sight was close to seeing Vector or Espio. Luck seemed to be on their side when Karude allowed the two to spend the night in his shack along with his wife, and didn't question them at first.

However, when the chameleon begged them both to not tell anyone about their whereabouts, the wife asked who they were, and the two reptiles had to confess everything. Fortunately, the elderly couple understood, and let them sleep in a secret room covered by a shelf with ceramics all over it.

And here they were, Vector and Espio huddling together for warmth as the rain continued to pour down, and the room grew colder.

Truth be told, Espio found it rather enjoyable cuddling with Vector. Despite the large samurai being cold blooded like him, his muscular body gave off a fair amount of body heat. Not to mention, the elderly couple gave the two reptiles an extra blanket to cover themselves.

With all the heat, Espio slowly felt himself close his eyes…

Until a loud pounding on the front door of the shack awoke everyone. From how violent the pounding was, Espio assumed the worst and froze, feeling himself shake from fear. It was then that a large hand covered his mouth.

"Stay silent." whispered Vector.

"I'm coming… I'm coming…" groaned Karude. Vector and Espio heard him getting out of bed and saw a light, no doubly him lighting up a candle. His footsteps grew quieter as he opened the front door, the rain becoming more audible.

"Good evening sir." said an unidentified voice, a voice Espio however, identified as one of the ninja guards of the Shinobi Clan's dojo. "I apologize for disturbing you at this hour of the night. However, I am with the Shinobi Clan of Gojo, and I wish to know if you have seen these two."

The rustling of a piece of paper was audible from where Vector and Espio were. The chameleon denied that the paper could be a " _WANTED"_ notice about the two reptiles. They then heard Karude's voice.

"No, I haven't."

"I understand. However, under the order of Bride of the Constant Vigil, I have been given permission to check your house for who I am looking for."

"Sir, I'm an old man living here with just my wife. I've never seen those two before."

"Look, what I'm doing is very serious business, and I need to make sure."

Vector and Espio continued to stay silent and still as the Shinobi ninja entered the house, most likely forcing himself in. They looked through the small peephole in the bookshelf and saw the ninja looking around the house for, most likely, Vector and Espio.

The ninja moved from the small kitchen to the living room, walking closer to the bookshelf. As he stopped in front of it, the ninja and the samurai held their breaths and covered their mouths. They heard a knock, meaning the Shinobi ninja knocked on the bookshelf.

 _"We're going to get caught… We're going to get caught…"_ Espio thought.

However, it seems that the stars aligned on the two reptiles, as the Shinobi ninja walked away from the bookshelf. About a few minutes later, he left the house, and Karude shut the door.

"It's safe now." he said, knocking on the bookshelf. "Go back to sleep."

"Okay…" replied Vector. "Come on, Espio, we should get some rest."

The chameleon nodded as he got back on the futon, huddled with Vector, and soon enough, fell asleep.

* * *

 **THE NEXT MORNING**

The bookshelf was moved, prompting Vector and Espio to wake up.

"Good morning you two. I would advise you wake up quickly." said Karude. The two reptiles rubbed their eyes and got up from the futon. They rolled it up and went into the living room, sitting down for breakfast. Karude's wife handed Vector and Espio steamed rice, miso soup, and grilled fish.

"If I may make a recommendation; you two should leave this village rather quickly. It's probably the best idea." she said. The two reptiles were confused. Why were Karude and his wife kicking them out? Was it because of the Shinobi ninja from last night? Did he perhaps go around the entire village to warn of Vector and Espio?

"I understand. We should be heading out soon." Vector said.

"I do apologize. I know it's best for you two to stay here, but seeing as I've heard the village talk about you two, it's best if you leave undetected. However, it does mean a lot for you two to stay with us, as we haven't had many visitors around here lately. Please; take the extra futon we've provided you, and we shall also provide you with some bread for your journey."

Espio was taken aback. "K-Karude… that's far too kind of you… You don't have to do this…"

"Please, by all means. It's my gift for you two."

Vector and Espio looked at each other, knowing they couldn't refuse him.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Vector and Espio were back on the road, leaving Kanamirū.

"Where's our next stop?" asked Espio. "It seems the ninja guards in the Dojo are trying to find our whereabouts."

"Hmm…" murmured Vector, placing his finger on his lip. "Our best bet is most likely Yamijima, as it's quite a while away."

"Yamijima? Won't that take us a long time to reach?"

"And you're complaining?"

"I'm sorry… it just takes a while."

"It's fine. We shall take a break when necessary."

As the two reptiles continued to walk down the path, Espio looked up at his lover.

"You know, Vector, even if we're on the run from death, I'm still having a fun time being with you." he said.

"Are you?" The crocodilian samurai replied.

"Yes, very much. Being here with you makes me feel… warm on the inside."

Vector smiled. "Thank you, Espio… I'm enjoying my time here with you too."

Things got awkward between the two as their hands fumbled for a bit, before they connected. Soon enough, the two were holding hands as they continued to walk down.

* * *

 **A FEW HOURS LATER**

Vector and Espio finally reached the town of Yamijima, tired and almost out of breath from how long they had been walking.

"It's around the lunch hour." Vector said. "Let's eat."

Espio nodded in agreement as they looked for a place to eat. They were able to find a restaurant; a small ramen house. Going up to it, the two ordered... well, the only thing on the menu; ramen.

As they waited for their meals, a man, a sly looking grey wolf, entered the ramen house and sat down next to Vector. He ordered his meal and waited just like the two reptiles. Surprisingly however, he turned to face the chameleon and the crocodile.

"Say… aren't you Espio, kid? The Espio that is the son of Bride of the Constant Vigil?" he asked.

Espio froze as his eyes widened.

 _"This isn't happening… this isn't happening…"_ he thought.

"What's it to you?" said Vector, who seemed to be protecting his lover.

"Whoa now, I mean no harm. I'm simply curious."

"Y-Yes… why?" said Espio, ultimately confessing his identity.

"Ah… I see… You know, I think you two should head out of Yamijima quickly."

It had been the second time that day someone told them to leave. It was like it was déjà vu.

"And why is that?" asked the crocodile.

"I got word from an acquaintance in Manazoū that ninjas from the Shinobi clan are looking for you, son of the Bride. The same applying to you, crocodile. It won't be long before they come here."

"And where do you think we should go?" asked Espio. "We can't run forever."

"I'll give you a few words of advice: out of the Dragon Kingdom."

Espio was confused as to what he meant at first, but it soon hit him.

"Vector! This man is right! Soon enough, the ninja's at the Dojo will search every village for us. But, if we run away from the Dragon Kingdom as a whole, we'll find freedom!" he exclaimed.

"I see where you're coming from, but once we leave here, where will we go?" replied Vector.

"Well… wherever the wind takes us…"

"You have the right spirit, child." said the wolf. Just then, the chef brought out three bowls of ramen, giving one to the crocodile, chameleon, and wolf. "After this bowl, I shall set off from this village, as I am a wandering traveler."

"I see." said Espio. He took his pair of chopsticks and began to chow away at his meal.

* * *

Soon after, the two reptiles were done eating, their food had been payed, and the wolf had now gone. The two were now walking down the marketplace of Yamijima.

"Do you know where the edge of the Dragon Kingdom is, Vector?" Espio asked.

"No, but I'm sure if we walk far enough, we'll be able to find it." replied the crocodilian samurai.

As the two continued to walk, they froze as they saw in an alleyway, a group of boys kicking something.

"What are they doing?" asked the fuchsia reptile.

"I'm not sure, but we should check it out. It seems like the right thing to do." Vector replied. The two walked into the alleyway, and heard the boys more clearly.

"Stop it!" A voice belonging to a child no doubt cried out.

"Why should we, street rat?" Teased one of the boys kicking the poor child.

"You're destined to die; simple as that!"

Espio grit his teeth and held his fist. "HEY!" he yelled. All the boys turned around and ran away, presumably scared at the sight of him and Vector. The two reptiles walked up to the beaten boy, who was a small bee wearing a bright yellow kimono.

"Are you okay?" Espio asked. The bee turned his head to face the chameleon ninja and the crocodile samurai.

"Are you going to hurt me?..." he shyly asked.

"No, no no no. We'd never do anything like that." Vector responded. He grabbed the bee and softly caressed him.

"That's… that's good to hear… You two are the nicest people I know."

Espio looked confused. "What do you mean? Where are your parents?"

"My parents? They died. I'm an orphan."

The chameleon bit his lip. He felt genuinely sorry for the small bee, having to go through that.

No parental figures… it reminded Espio of himself.

That's when he got an idea.

"Say, we're actually trying to leave the Dragon Kingdom, and since I know you don't want to live on the streets anymore, would you be willing to accompany us on our little journey?"

Vector was taken aback. "What are you talking about, Espio? You can't let yourself be fooled by someone like him."

"I… I just can't say no to him. Look at him."

The large green reptile sighed, knowing he had lost the battle. "Okay, fine, he can come along with us."

"Yay! I'm so glad! Finally, my life isn't expecting to stay on the streets forever!"

Espio smiled down at the bee as he buzzed closely to his leg. That's when he thought of something that never occurred to him.

"Say, child, what is your name?" he asked.

"My name?" replied the bee. "Well… I can't remember most stuff from when I had parents. But I do remember something: my name is Charmy.

Espio smiled and offered his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Charmy. I'm Espio, son of Bride of the Constant Vigil."

"And I'm Vector, a samurai guard."

"Whoa, you're a ninja and samurai? That's so cool!"

Vector and Espio smiled down at the small bee child named, Charmy. He had only known them for less than ten minutes, yet he feels like the two reptiles are his parents.

Parents…

Espio looked down, seeing Vector holding his hand and Charmy at knee height.

 _"Strange…"_ Espio thought. _"It's almost like… we're a family."_

Family reminded himself of the Dojo, reminded himself of Bride of the Constant Vigil. That was his original family. But since he ran away, he could safely say that this was his new family.

"Espio? We left the village."

"Huh?"

Espio snapped out of his thoughts, not even realizing what had been occurring.

"Oh… sorry, Vector. I was caught up in my mind."

"It happens, don't worry about it."

"So, where's our next destination?"

"The closest one I know that is nearing towards the borders of the Dragon Kingdom would have to be the village of Yakushi. That is where we shall head out next."

Espio nodded. Just then however, Charmy buzzed up in front of the two reptiles.

"Hey! Seeing as how it's going to take us some time to reach there, how about I tell you stories! This is one I remember from when I started to live on the streets…"

* * *

Finally, after hours of walking (buzzing in Charmy's case), the three finally reached Yakushi. However, before even going as far as entering the village, Espio stopped when he saw a normal guard and a ninja guard in the middle. Seeing this, Vector grabbed the chameleon and bee and pulled them back.

"Vector! What's going on-"

"Shh! Be quiet, Charmy!"

Charmy looked confused, so he turned to Espio. "Espio, what's happening? Why did Vector pull us back?"

The ninja sighed. "I didn't want to have it come to this; I feel you are too young to properly understand the situation that's going on."

"Tell! Please?"

Espio knew he couldn't keep saying no, and sighed yet again. "Ok, I'll tell you; this is a rather long story, so please make yourself comfortable."

The fuchsia reptile soon began his story, recounting the wedding, Vector's arrival, his crush on Vector, and him running away to avoid the wedding.

When he was done, Charmy looked at him with awe.

"Whoa… you two have certainly gone through a lot. So, the reason why we're hiding is because you two are running away?" he asked.

"That is correct." replied Espio.

"But what about me? I'm worried they'll do something to me too!"

The chameleon kneeled down and rubbed the bee's head. "Oh, Charmy, me and Vector will make sure nothing will happen to you."

"Alright, I think I know how we're going about doing this." Vector said. "Follow me, and SNEAK!"

Espio and Charmy nodded as the followed Vector, using the houses of villagers as cover as they tiptoed from house to house.

This went on for a long time until they finally reached the gate leading out of the village.

"We did it!" Espio exclaimed.

However, just then, a voice behind him made the three freeze.

"There he is! There's Espio! And Vector too! Get them!"

"ESPIO, CHARMY, RUN!" Vector yelled.

"What about you?!" replied Charmy frantically.

"I'll be behind you! Don't worry, I'll catch up! Just get a bit of a head start and I'll make sure these guys don't get to us!"

Espio walked quickly to Vector and kissed his neck. "Be safe, okay?"

"I will."

Espio and Charmy ran out of the village, the bee buzzing as fast as he could while the chameleon ran faster and faster.

"They're getting away! Everyone, go after them! They also seem to have a child with them, so that means they probably abducted the poor boy!"

Vector looked back at the large amounts of guards running up towards the three. Just then, he looked to the side and saw the lever to pull down the door of the gate. Using all his strength, Vector turned it as fast as he could as the gate shut quickly. With that out of the way, the crocodile followed after Espio and Charmy.

"I'm back!" Vector said once catching up with the two.

"That's… *huff huff*… good…" replied Espio. Even being in tip top shape, the chameleon began to get tired from how much he had been waking.

"I'm not sure how much I can handle this…" complained Charmy. Just then, Vector grabbed him in his arms.

"Here, I'll carry you back the whole way. If you get scared, just hang onto me and close your eyes. It'll be over soon enough."

The bee nodded as they heard voices from behind them.

"They caught up?!" exclaimed Vector.

"Quickly, Vector! We must hurry!" cried Espio. The two reptiles continued to run down the dirt path, leading into a large forest. The crunching of the leaves sounded everywhere as Vector and Espio ran from the guards of the Shinobi clan's dojo.

Not only minutes after running, the two reptiles had to stop as they saw a large river streaming downwards.

"This may be our chance! Vector, you're a crocodile, you can swim right?"

The crocodilian samurai nodded and held out the scared Charmy to Espio. "Hold Charmy from here, I'll get into the water first." he said. Vector splashed into the water, and emerged out.

"Climb on my back! I'll swim us downstream!"

Espio nodded and holding Charmy in his arms, got onto his lover's back as Vector immediately began to swim. Just when they thought that they were safe from danger, the three heard the voices yet again.

"I heard the splashing of water! They probably climbed into the river, thinking we'll never find them." said one of the ninja guards

"But of course, that won't be the case. Nope, not at all…" replied one of the normal guards.

The group of guards began to run downstream. Espio grew worried as Vector wasn't going as fast.

"Faster, Vector! They're gaining up on us!" he exclaimed.

"I'm t-trying too! But… this is as good as I can swim!"

At that point, Espio knew he was doomed. Sure enough, the guards would catch them, and take them back to his mother.

However, he suddenly thought of something. A thought he had never even considered until this particular moment.

Espio placed his hand over Vector's neck while holding the bee child slightly. Muttering words, he felt a force as all three of them camouflaged.

"Two words: be quiet." he whispered.

Only about a few minutes later, the guards caught up to where Vector, Espio, and Charmy were. Yet, they saw that the three weren't in sight.

"Where have they gone?" asked one of the guards.

"I'm not sure… they must have most likely escaped… Damn it! Bride of the Constant Vigil will not be pleased with this result…"

All the guards left the area as about a minute or two later, Espio undid the camouflage.

"Whoa, Espio, what was that?" asked Vector and Charmy.

"Just a technique I like to call "ninja stealth". Turns the user, along with anyone he has physical contact with invisible." replied Espio. The two were in shock at the feat the chameleon just did, but were happy to still be alive.

"You really helped us out of that situation." said Vector. "Thank you."

"Yeah! It does mean a lot!"

"Heh heh, don't give me all the credit. Vector's the one swimming us to wherever this stream takes us. Where will this lead anyway?"

* * *

About an hour later, the chameleon wouldn't know the answer to his question until the stream finally went down into a lake. Vector got up, stretched his back, and the two got out of the lake. Espio let go of Charmy, allowing him to buzz in the air, but held his hand.

"Where… are we?" asked Espio. The three looked around for a bit until seeing a sign with an arrow pointing right that read:

"Welcome to Apatos.

This way to: Dragon Kingdom"

"A-Apatos?" Charmy asked.

"So… we have left the Dragon Kingdom…" Espio said, a smile forming on his face. The three looked into the sunset covered by the large sign. The chameleon looked up at Vector, his lower, looking bold and brash, and holding his own hand. Then he looked at Charmy, the young boy the two now cared for, smiling and happy.

Espio looked back up at the sunset and smiled.

"Vector, have I told you that I love you?" he asked.

"Yeah, you have." replied the crocodile.

"Because I wish to remind you: I love you, lots."

"Heh, same here."

"Wait, love? You guys are in love? Eww!" Charmy exclaimed, faking gagging. The two reptiles softly laughed at their "son's" innocence and continued to make their way down to where ever Apatos was, ready to begin a new life. This meant that Espio was finally free from the life he didn't want. While he knew he, Vector, and Charmy would have to go through many hardships, as long as they were together, nothing would ever happen.


End file.
